What causes peeling feet? If you have dry peeling feet that are also itchy and cracked, you need to know the causes and the treatment to use to heal and fix your unsightly feet. For these and more about peeling feet, read this article.

Feet Peeling

As if cracked feet are not enough, you may also experience flaky skin on the soles of your feet. Peeling feet occurs in anyone. However, they may be prominent in people with certain health conditions and people who fail to moisturize and exfoliate feet regularly. If you find yourself with peeling feet, it is best to treat it as soon as possible to avoid getting cracked feet as they can be painful and unsightly. You need your feet to get wherever you want to go and it is not possible with cracked heels.

Peeling feet may also itch such that you find yourself reaching for your feet to ease the irritation on the soles or the sides of your feet. Although each case of peeling feet is unique, some common causes ail the feet. It is possible to treat cracked peeling feet with home remedies for cracked feet. However, if the peeling seems to get worse instead of better, it is best to see a podiatrist immediately. What causes peeling feet and how can they be fixed? Find out shortly.

Peeling Feet Causes – What Causes Peeling Feet

What causes peeling feet is a question that most people ask especially when they find themselves with this skin condition. There is no need to panic, as you may just need to change your current foot cream to another brand with higher concentration of urea. This will give enough moisture to your peeling feet. The major peeling feet causes are:

Dry skin

Hypothyroidism

Fungal infection

Contact dermatitis

Psoriasis

Eczema

Dehydration

Severe sunburns on the soles of the feet

Diabetes

Use of harsh detergents to clean your feet

Swimming often in chlorinated water

Wearing ill fitting shoes

Dry Peeling Feet- How to Avoid Peeling Feet

How to avoid peeling feet is the best thing before learning how to treat them. As the saying goes it is better to be safe than sorry. You can be safe from dry peeling feet by just changing your behaviors.

For starters, if you want to prevent your feet from being infected with fungus, you have to dry your feet each time you shower or your feet are exposed to moist conditions. That means the soles and between the toes. Furthermore, you must always walk in thongs or shower shoes in public bathrooms. Fungus thrives in damp places and most public places may be damp and not sanitized to the standards of most homes. Therefore, wearing slippers when in such bathrooms is the only way to prevent collecting the nasty fungus from there.

You must also wear proper shoes that ensure that your heels are supported and there is room for your toes. Ill-fitting shoes cannot only cause your feet to peel but also crack. Therefore, take your time when shopping for shoes to ensure that your heels are stable and your toes have some wiggle room. Furthermore, stick to leather shoes, which can wick moisture from your feet instead of plastic, watertight, or rubber shoes. Your feet will thank you for keeping them dry all day long in proper leather shoes especially if you have to be at work all day.

It is also wise to avoid harsh cleaning to your feet. The use of alcohol based products, bleach and floor cleaners are excessively harsh for the skin on your feet. They leave your already dry peeling feet without any moisture because they remove the natural oils of the feet and do not add any at all.

Washing or soaking your feet should also be done in warm water. Hot water makes skin drier and hence the peeling will be enhanced. Make a habit of checking the temperature in your foot soak water using your elbow to ensure it is warm and not hot.

Moisturizing the dry peeling feet should be done twice daily with natural ingredients found in creams and lotions. Furthermore, you must sleep in cotton socks in order to make the moisture in the creams or lotions active and penetrate deeply.

Itchy Peeling Feet Fungal Infection

Itchy Peeling Feet

When peeling feet are itchy, they could be a sign of a fungal infection. The common itchy peeling feet fungal infections affecting the soles include:

Athlete’s foot

Ringworms

Yeast infections

While the athlete’s foot is treatable at home, you may need to see your doctor for a proper prescription of antifungal medication to cure any yeast infections. Yeast infections also make the nail color of the big toes change and detach from the flesh. The athlete’s foot and ringworms can also be treated with over-the-counter fungal creams.

Dry Cracked Peeling Feet Creams

Some of the common creams that can cure dry cracked peeling feet quickly are those containing about 40%-50% urea. They should also natural ingredients such as aloe vera as well as natural oils such as flaxseed oil, jojoba and lavender among others.

Creams have high content moisture and when used properly can heal the dry cracked peeling feet within a few days. Some of the best creams to heal such feet include:

AmLactin Foot Cream Therapy

O’keefee’s Healthy Feet

Ureacin 20 Cream

Flexitol Heel Balm

Peppermint Foot Therapy by Upper Canada

How to Treat Peeling Feet, Heal or Fix

When looking to heal or fix peeling feet you can do it internally and externally. When it comes to internal treating of peeling feet, you must work on your immune system. Since the peeling is caused by autoimmune conditions, the best way is to improve your immune system before applying any topical solutions.

Secondly, how to treat peeling feet will involve the use of topical treatments from creams, lotions and natural oils. Any treatment that will give a boost to the moisture content on the feet works fine.

Peeling Feet

Peeling Feet Remedies DIY at Home

It is possible to cure peeling feet at home with DIY remedies. These are inexpensive and they work if used persistently. Before application, ensure that your feet are clean and dry. Use the following peeling feet remedies for one week each.

Apply yogurt, which is not flavored but natural on the soles of the feet. Rinse after 15 minutes with warm water. The lactic acid in the yogurt will remove the dead peeling skin.

Crush a clove of garlic and add 2tablespoons of olive oil. Liberally apply the mixture to your feet and leave it there for 15 minutes or overnight. If you are using it overnight, wear plastic bags before wearing your socks to avoid staining. The garlic will work on any fungal infections while the olive oil will moisturize your feet deeply.